Witness
by L.B. Rochelle
Summary: Bella's life is in danger because she is the only witness to the murder of her parents. The Witness Protection Program sends her to live with one of the programs special foster families. There she finds love, and discovers what it will take to move on.
1. Prologue

**Authors Note:** Alright, here is the prologue to my second story. Nothing but the plot line and some characters belong to me. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU THINK THIS STORY IS WORTH GOING ON WITH, it would mean soo much to me.

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**PROLOGUE**

They say that right before you die, your entire life flashes before your eyes like a reel of home movies that you had forgotten you even stored away. Memories of your childhood that had long since vanished from your mind come flooding back, so vivid that you can even remember the scent of a delicate wildflower you picked from the earth when you were only four years old. As I stood with my back pressed against the hard wall, ice-like moisture seeping through my shirt, I briefly wondered why that didn't seem to be that case with me. I didn't see my happy life in Chicago with my parents, and no visions of the friends I'd had to leave behind without so much as a goodbye flashed before my eyes.

I saw none of it.

As the dark shadow stood motionless before me, biding his time before he stalked forward and ended my life, only one face came to my mind. The features of this particular face were perfectly symmetrical, almost ridiculous in their perfection. The only abnormality that made allowed one to be sure he was human was the slight bump on the bridge of the nose from when it had been broken during a fight. His usually full lips were a thin, grim line as he stared back at me, his stunning green eyes a familiar mixture of frustration and anger. I couldn't find it in myself to be afraid or angry about dying at the hands of these evil people, not if it meant that he was safe and well. I wouldn't survive without him, but I could leave this world peacefully knowing that he was still a part of it, living out his life the way he should…the way he deserved.

The black figure moved slightly as I continued my inner musings, taking a step forward as headlights from a passing car caught his face through the broken, dingy window. I shook my head slightly to clear it and stared straight back into his black, depthless eyes. I could see the ugly smile that tugged at the corners of his cracked lips as I braced myself for death.


	2. Aftermath

**CHAPTER 1:**

**Aftermath**

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Too bright.

Everything was too bright, and I couldn't see. I felt my eyes open a mere fraction of an inch, but they immediately shut again as the pain from the blinding light set in and caused my head to ache. I tried to turn my neck slightly, to offer my eyes even more relief, but something cold was suddenly holding me and I couldn't seem to gather the strength to break its grip. I was confused as hurried voices suddenly began to shout back and fourth, some sounding relieved while others seemed anxious and unsure.

"She's awake!" One voice shouted, a little too close and I flinched involuntarily. My entire body was suddenly in flames, the movement from my flinch causing me to feel as if someone had ripped out my entire gut. I small cry escaped me as the burning took over, and I would have given anything for it to just stop and leave me in peace.

"Sarah, go get some more morphine…I'm sure she is in a lot of pain." The deep, masculine voice broke through my mind as I processed his words.

_Who….who is in a lot of pain? Are they talking about me? How could they know my stomach is on fire, I haven't said a word?_

"Her blood pressure is too low…"

"She's bleeding out…I need more blood in here, now!"

Someone was dying? I hoped that the voices could help. It sounded like whoever this girl was, she was in bad shape.

I groaned softly as another pain suddenly tore through me, and the realization that I was in fact the girl who was dying washed over me like a pail of glacial water.

Everything came rushing back to me, my mind in overdrive as I saw it all again.

I remembered walking into the alley with my parent's, it was the shortcut we always took to get back to our car whenever we went to our favorite movie theater downtown. I saw the dark shadow ebb away from the brick wall, my father grabbing my by the arm and pushing me roughly behind him, and I heard my mother's guttural scream before two loud shots abruptly rang out and everything went deathly silent. I remembered the pain, and falling to the rain soaked asphalt as the bullet that hit my father found its exit and pierced me as well. I saw myself lay there in that silent alley, the cold rain hitting my face until I was too tired to keep my eyes open.

"Isabella?" A soft voice called to me, and I felt a warm tear slide down my cheek as I squeezed my eyes a tight. "Isabella you're going to be alright, we're just going to give you a little morphine to help with the pain alright? It will help you get some rest." I didn't respond, the images in my mind causing my throat to close and my voice to slip away.

_They're gone..._

I felt the falsely calming effects of the drug almost immediately, and the last things I saw before I gave way to the blissful darkness were the cold, lifeless bodies of my parents and the twisted face of the man who murdered them.

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"Bella, are you alright?" Phil Dwyer, the large, muscled, chief of police for the Phoenix P.D. sat in a cushioned chair beside my small hospital bed and took my hand.

I pulled away and continued to stare unseeingly out the window. It was still raining, just as it had that night. It was rare for Phoenix to get so much rain at once, or at all really, and it was as if the world was taunting me with its tears. As if it was trying to constantly remind me of that night, though it needn't have bothered since it was something I would never forget.

"Bella?" Phil asked softly. He didn't reach for my hand again.

"Yes." I said quietly, but I didn't look at him. "I'm fine." Phil had been a good friend of the family since my father Charlie had joined the police force years ago, and I often thought of him as more of and uncle than my dads boss. He was tall with sandy blond hair, and I loved him like family, but it was a strange feeling knowing he was all I had left. It was strange knowing it was going to be he, and not my mother and father, picking me up the day I was released from the hospital.

"Bella I am so sorry about your mom and dad. You know how much I loved them."

_I know…. _Memories of weekend barbeques by the pool flashed before my eyes. Dad and Phil would stand over the grill, watching the meat sizzle, ready at a moments notice to whip the burgers onto a plate so they wouldn't be overdone. My mom and I used to laugh at them, only our heads turned to look as we lounged in our plastic green recliners.

_"Honey," My mom would call, amusement in her voice. "They burgers will be wonderful no matter what…come and lay with me. It's a gorgeous day."_

_"Renee, it's a mans prerogative to stand and grill while his women folk lounge around and swim...let me be the man Renee." _My mom would pout her full lips at him, and it would only take about twenty seconds before my dad was beside her, leaving Phil to do all the cooking as they kissed or held hands.

"…know it's only been a week honey," Phil was saying as I was brought back to the present. I had to force myself not to cry. "But I really need to ask you some questions…about what happened...do you remember anything? Anything at all..."

_I remember everything…_

I sighed softly and turned my head to look at him. He had aged ten years in the past week, the stress and grief takings its toll on him both mentally and physically. His wavy hair was getting noticeable streaks of gray in it, and the bruise-like bags under his eyes made him appear like the living dead. I felt bad for being so distant, knowing my parent's death wasn't just affecting me.

"We…um…went to the movies." I whispered, my eyes already beginning to sting with unshed tears. "Afterwards, we took the alley on Larkin Avenue as shortcut…to… to get back to the car."

I took a deep breath.

"I saw something...m-m-move out of the corner of my eye…and then dad pushed me behind him." I squeezed my eyes shut as the whole thing began to replay in my head. I heard my mothers scream, felt the sting of the bullet, and smelled the earthy scent of ozone as the rain pelted the ground.

"It's alright Bella…it's alright…" Phil hugged me to his big chest, his Diamondback jersey getting soaked as I sobbed. He stroked my hair gently as I cried, and after I had managed to get myself somewhat under control, he put his large hands on my shoulders and held me at arms length.

"Bella I am going to ask you something, and it's very important alright?"

"Alright." I whispered, wiping my cheeks and keeping my eyes averted from his.

"Did you see who did it?" My eyes shot to his and held his steady gaze for a long moment.

I nodded.

"Could you identify the person in a line up?"

I nodded my head again, and the cruel face of the man who murdered my parents flashed across my mind. Relief shown in Phil's gaze as he let go of my shoulders and heaved a huge sigh, rubbing his hands down his face.

"Alright then, that's great Bella…really great. I'll need a description of…"

"Could you come back tomorrow Phil? I just…I don't want to think about this anymore."  
"I understand," He told me, his eyes going soft. "But the quicker we do this, the quicker this son of a bitch will be behinds bars on death row."

"I know that…I just…can you come back tomorrow…please?" I tried to keep my voice as steady as I could, but even I heard the tremble behind my words. Phil gave me a weak smile and took my hand again.

"Sure, I'll come back tomorrow…and if you're not ready tomorrow then I'll come back the next day, or the day after that. Take as much time as you need Bella, I didn't mean to push you."

"Thank you." Was all I said before lapsing back into silence. Phil stayed with me for a few more hours, and would have stayed the night at the hospital, had I not declined his offer to sleep on the roll-a-way cot.

"I just want some time alone." I told him softly, my gaze on the setting sun outside my window.

"Are you sure? I don't really like the idea of you being all by yourself."

"I'm sure. Go home…I'll see you tomorrow." I heard his soft sigh before he opened the door and stepped out into the hospital corridor. I closed my eyes then, my body too exhausted to gather the energy it would take to keep them open. I woke some time later, panting and in pain. My stomach was on fire where I had been shot, and a nurse rushed into my room at the sound of my heart monitor. She tried calming me down, but had to resort to a sedative when I insisted on seeing my parents. Like always, the tranquilizer was fast acting, and the last image I saw before I fell asleep was my parents holding hands as they walked into that dark alley.

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"Take your time." The young officer, deputy Wilson, told me. "They'll stand here all day if we want them to, so there is no need to rush." I stood frozen in a dark room next to Phil as I stared straight into the eyes of a coldblooded murderer. He couldn't see me, since I was standing on the other side of a two-way mirror, but he stared straight ahead as if he were looking me directly in the eyes. It had been two and half weeks since the shooting, and I had dreamed about those soulless eyes every night. I had given Phil the description of the man the day after I told him I could identify my parents' killer, and he had been scouring the city non-stop since then trying to round up as many guys as he could that matched the drawing done by the composite artist.

_Looks like they found him._

I shuddered.

"Bella are you alright?"

"It's him." I whispered, "Number three…it was him."

"You're sure?" Phil asked, putting a hand on my shoulder and turning me to face him. "Really look at them."

I nodded.

"I'm sure." I told him, turning back to the mirror. "I won't ever forget that face." His dirty blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail, and his chin was scruffy and unshaven as his ice-blue eyes bore into the window as if he were trying to somehow finish the job he started two weeks prior.

"Alright then." Phil said, turning to Deputy Wilson, "Arrest him on suspicion of two counts of first degree murder, and one count of attempted murder." Deputy Wilson nodded, and there was a loud buzzing sound as the doors to the room where the suspects were being held opened. Two cops led the other four suspects out the left door and into the hall, but when another officer began to lead my would-be killer out the other side into the main part of the police station, he immediately began to struggle violently.

"Fucking Bitch!" He yelled, his cold eyes never leaving the two-way mirror. "You're dead! You hear me you little shit…so fucking dead! Just like your motherfucking parents!" The officer escorting him suddenly twisted his left arm behind his back, causing him to groan as he was shoved forcefully out the door.

_He knew I was here…_ The thought gripped me so fast and hard I nearly fell to my knees in terror. _He knew, of course he knew...he would have seen on the news that there was one survivor. A seventeen year old girl who barley made it to the hospital..._

"Bella…Bella calm down." Phil shook me gently, trying as hard as he could to bring me back to reality as I sank to the cold floor.

"He knew." I cried. "He knew I was here, and he wants to kill me." Out of the corner of my eyes I noticed Deputy Wilson standing anxiously by the call button on the wall, watching the entire spectacle with wide eyes.

"Bella don't worry." Phil tried to calm me, "You're safe. No one is going to hurt you." I shook my head at his words, not able to believe what he was saying. The only thing I could hear were the words that murderer roared as he was hauled from the room.

_...So fucking dead! Just like your motherfucking parents!_

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_**Authors Note: **Alright there is chapter 1...good? bad? Please leave a review! **AL_SO, _please check out my other story _FOREVER TOGETHER_**...there is a prologue and chapter 1...THANKS SOOOO MUCH!_  
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	3. Witness Protection

**Chapter 2: **

**Witness Protection**

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The Phoenix airport was uncommonly busy.

I walked quickly and silently beside Phil and another officer whose name I didn't know, dodging people left and right as they practically ran me over in their hurry. I guess I should have felt bad about not knowing the officers name since he would be flying with me and all, but I just didn't have it in me to really put effort into remembering. Phil and his young partner kept a close eye on me, one of them keeping a loose grip on arm at all times just to be safe. Though they were on duty at the moment, Phil and the other officer were also out of their usual uniform. Clad in old jeans, worn t-shirts and toting my luggage behind them, they were both as unassuming as any other potential flyer milling about. In fact, though I suppose to be inconspicuous I was probably the only one out of the three of us who looked out of place. It was blazing outside of the air-conditioned airport, but I was wearing one of my mom's old, oversized sweaters with baggy jeans that had to be cuffed at the bottom so I wouldn't trip. My long, mahogany hair was tied back into a ponytail, secured neatly beneath one of my dads old baseball caps, and if I wasn't wearing dark sunglasses people would have noticed my puffy, tired eyes darting back and forth nervously around the entire terminal. They weren't puffy from crying, I promised myself no more tears weeks ago, but from lack of sleep since apparently my subconscious liked to torment me with nightmares about that night.

It had been little over a month since the shooting, and I had barley slept at all because I would always wake up shaking and panicked. The first time I had stayed with Phil after I was discharged from the hospital was the worst. I had gone to bed early but laid in bed for hours staring at the dark, pop-corned ceiling before finally falling into a restless sleep. I woke hours later, my body tense and trembling. It had all seemed so real but I knew it had to be a dream, so I slowly got up from the bed and made my way down the hall towards the stairs. I guess in the back of my mind I sort of knew it wasn't our house, but I didn't care. I needed to see them sitting on our cushiony, blue sofa, holding hands as mom read a book or they watched an old Orson Welles movie.

I didn't find them.

Instead I barley made it half way down the stairs before I heard Phil's voice coming from the living room. It was low and pained, but I was able to strain my ears and make out what he said.

"I can't just send her away." He whispered, I'm assuming into the phone because no one answered before he continued. "I realize that, but Bella is not ready for this. For gods sake her parents were just murdered right in front of her, she almost died, and now you want to send her to live with complete strangers? How is she supposed to deal with all this?" I squeezed my eyes shut, and shakily lowered myself to the wooden stairs as I took deep breath to try and calm myself. It had all been real, everything about that horrific nightmare had been real…a sharp pain gripped my heart at the thought of my parents.

"No, I don't want her to get hurt, how can you even ask me that?" Phil said, and I opened my eyes before leaning my head on the handrail. "She's like a daughter to me Jim, I just…I just don't want her to feel like she's been cut off from her whole life here. She has friends, a part-time job…how can we just take that all away from her? Can't I enter the program to, I am her legal guardian now."

There was a long silence as Phil listened to whatever 'Jim' had to say.

"You're right, I know you're right." He sighed, and I could see in my head how his head would be thrown back in frustration. "I'll uh…tell her tomorrow. Have you already found a family from the registry? Alright, well let me know when you do." There was another long moment of silence after he hung up the phone, and I only waited a minute before getting up and going back to the guest room.

It was the last night I allowed the tears to fall.

"Alright Bella, here you go. You alright honey?" I turned my head to Phil as we stopped in front of the terminal where my plane was already boarding. Men, women and children were standing with tickets, eagerly waiting to board a plane that, to me, was the end of everything I had ever known-everything that was home.

"Yeah, sure." I told him, but he didn't look like he believed me. He didn't question me on it though, just reached into his back pocket and handed me a small, yellow envelope.

"Here is your identification card, and all the paperwork you'll need for your new school." I took it from him and stuck envelope in my pocket without even looking at it, before handing him back the other i.d. card I had used for the airport security. We stood awkwardly for a moment, neither of knowing how to say what we wanted. Phil broke first though, and pulled me to him in a tight hug that I couldn't help but return.

"I know you're not suppose to, but call me when you get there." He whispered into my ear, and I nodded. He gave me a gentle squeeze before letting me go and taking a step back.

"Have a safe flight Bella." He said, and then added reassuringly, "You'll be back before you know it, I promise." I gave him a small, sad smile because it was all I had to offer for his words. The truth was that I would most likely never be coming back, other than for the trial where I was suppose to testify. After a prolonged, twenty hour interrogation the police had discovered that the shooting hadn't been a random accident, but a planned hit because my dad had been getting too close to learning something he shouldn't have. James Monroe, the man who pulled the trigger, the man I had identified in the police line-up, had been on a mission to kill that night. Now others were after me because I apparently was their one screw up. I wasn't supposed to have survived, and now James' organization was trying to make sure I didn't. The police would never catch them all, so it was hard to believe it would ever be safe enough for me to go back to my old life. I didn't even know if I'd be able to if it came to that. How do you go back to something that isn't there anymore?

Phil waved slightly as I gave the attendant my ticket, officer no-name right behind me with his own ready to go. As we walked down the bridge toward the plane I turned and glanced quickly over my shoulder, but Phil was already gone, the place where he had been standing moments ago already empty. The attendant I had given my ticket to suddenly shut the door to the walkway then, cutting off the view of the terminal and causing me to jump a little.

I had never felt more alone.

The four hour flight to Seattle was quiet, at least for me. I didn't say a word to my officer no-name, and when the overly perky flight attendant asked if I wanted something to drink, I shook my head without even looking at her. I kept my sunglasses on and stared out the window silently, watching as we moved effortlessly through the thick clouds, wondering if my parents had done the same. I had never been a huge believer in the divine, never went to church, but I hoped that my parents had been able to find peace with each other.

_Together…_

Images of their bodies lying in dark wood coffins suddenly filled my mind, their faces wearing somber expressions they never had in life, and I took a deep breath before shutting the window visor. I zoned out for the rest of the flight, never letting my mind really wander, but just carefully listen to the songs that would play on my little black I-pod. Before I knew it we were touching down in Seattle, the sky considerably darker than it had been in Phoenix, and I was grateful for the sweater I was wearing over my tank-top. I hadn't much with me, just two small bags of personal items that I used as carry-on luggage. It was a good thing to, because we had to switch to a much smaller plane at the Seattle airport, one of those planes that looked like it wouldn't make it off the ground let alone an hour long trip. It had rust along the side rivets, the pale yellow paint was peeling, and the wings looked like they would fall off with a simple flick of my finger. I was a little worried but didn't give it too much thought before climbing in, and I guess the plane was more durable than it looked, because we arrived in Port Angeles ten minutes earlier than scheduled.

I followed my escort to the car rental next door to the landing strip, standing silently beside him as he talked to the young sales woman and requested a black vehicle from the lot. She was quick with our request, our inconspicuous rental ready for us in a matter of minutes. We loaded my bags into the back seat, and drove through the tree lined roads in our unassuming rental for about an hour before a worn, wooden sign welcoming us to the town of Forks came into view. We drove through the small town quickly, our car not seeming to draw any unwanted attention, and turned off onto a dirt road that lay just on the outskirts of the other side. It was a long, very narrow road lined with dense green foliage, and as we exited the natural canopy created by the trees, a beautiful white house was suddenly right in front of us. I stared at it for a moment as we parked on the stone driveway, somewhat stunned that a house like this existed in a town like Forks, where the nicest building I saw as we drove through seemed to be the brick cube that made up the town hall. This house was three levels, and painted in a pale crème that was accented by the burgundy double doors at the front. The windows of the house were French, intricate in their design, and the perfectly manicured lawn and trees that surrounded the property we a deep, lively green that added an enchanting atmosphere to the house.

"Ready?" A soft voice asked after we sat stoically in the car for a few minutes. It was the first words spoken between us the whole trip, and I shook my head.

"No." I replied, but pushed the door to the car open and got out. He followed my lead, getting out and reaching in to grab my bags as I heard the front doors to the house open. I turned and saw a small, slender woman with chestnut curls barely past her shoulders walking swiftly towards us. Her lavender blouse was tucked neatly into a pair of soft looking beige slacks, her pearl necklace shimmering softly at her throat. She was followed closely by a tall blonde man wearing a crisp white button down shirt, sleek black trousers, and wire-rimmed reading glasses. They were the picture of sophistication, and the complete opposite of my mom and dad who I had rarely seen in anything other than jeans and sandals unless it was either a special occasion and absolutely necessary.

"Hello." She said when they reached us, her hazel eyes were bright and open. "You must be Isabella dear. I'm Esme Cullen, this is my husband Carlisle."

I nodded my head in greeting but stayed silent.

"Please, come inside." Carlisle offered, and Esme nodded. "You both must be tired after your trip."

"Actually," Officer no-name announced, coming up beside me and setting my luggage down. "I have to get back as soon as possible, I just need to settle Isabella in-"

"I'm settled." I cut him off, and both Mr. and Mrs. Cullen looked to me with odd expressions. "I can handle it, you can go if you need to."

"Are you sure?" He asked, looking a bit bewildered and taken off guard. It was the most I had ever spoken in front of him after all. "I mean I can come in and-"

"I'm fine." I assured him, but he looked hesitant for a moment before giving a small sigh.

"Uh, well alright…I guess since everything has already been checked out I can just call the department and let them know you arrived safely."

I nodded.

"Ok," He said. "Well Mr. and Mrs. Cullen it was a pleasure to meet you. The department will be in contact with you shortly."

"Thank you, have a safe flight." Mrs. Cullen responded, and he nodded to her as he shook Mr. Cullen's hand.

"Isabella…take care of yourself alright?" He asked, giving my shoulder a small, awkward pat.

"Yeah, sure." I told him. We watched him pull out of the driveway and disappear through the thick trees, the car leaving noticeable tracks in the dirt road.

"Are you hungry dear?" Mrs. Cullen asked me then, suddenly at my side. "Alice and Edward aren't home, but if you're hungry there's no need to wait for them." Phil had told me the family I was going to stay with had two children my age, and I wondered briefly what they were like. My mom had always wanted another child, and over the years I had begged for a sibling, but they had given up trying after the doctors told them another child could put her at risk.

"No…thank you Mrs. Cullen" I told her, my throat suddenly dry and closed up. "I'm just…um, really tired."

"Of course." She said, her eyes growing concerned as she caught the hitch in my voice. "Oh, and please call me Esme, Mrs. Cullen is my mother-in-law."

"Yes, and you can call me Carlisle." Mr. Cullen put in with a small, knowing smile at his wife, "We'll show you your room then if you'd like Isabella, and you can take a nap."

"Thank you." I told them, offering a somewhat awkward smile. Carlisle picked up my bags and I followed them both up the driveway and into the house. It was just as elegant as the exterior, with an open foyer that had a view of both the living room and the formal dining room. The walls and furniture were all different shades of white, with dark wood and splashes of saturated color thrown in as accents. I followed Carlisle and Esme up the carpeted staircase all the way up to the third floor, listening as the explained where the kitchen was, the various bathrooms, and which rooms were occupied by Alice and Edward.

"Here we are." Carlisle told me when we finally came to a stop in front of a white paneled door. He turned the knob and pushed it open, gesturing for me to go in when I didn't move. I took a step forward and entered, my eyes scanning the beautiful room. The walls were a soft eggshell with a light green trim, and there was a large bed with a matching green comforter pushed against the far wall under the window. A matching dark wood desk and dresser set grounded the calm room and gave it a warmth.

I hated it.

"It's…beautiful." I whispered, not wanting to be rude and make a bad impression. It wasn't that I really hated the room, it was stunning actually, but it was so different from my room back home in Phoenix that I couldn't seem to grasp that it was mine. I didn't feel comfortable in this foreign space. It wasn't the room my dad had helped me paint over spring break when I fifteen, and it wasn't the room my mom had helped me decorate with lantern and photos. It was too perfect, one of those rooms that are so put together you don't even want to breath for fear of messing something up.

"I'm so happy you like it!" Esme exclaimed, walking up and pulling me into a hug and I froze at her touch.

"Me too." Carlisle said with a laugh as he set my bags down. "Esme has been so worried you would hate it that she has had me changing the colors in here every other day." I blushed at his words, glad in that moment that I hadn't let my real opinion slip from my mouth. They had done so much work on the space, I could at least be thankful for that. "Well we will just leave you to it." Esme announced as Carlisle put an arm around her shoulder. "The bathroom is right through there, and if you decide you're hungry I will be glad to make you something."

"Thank you." I told them, shuffling my feet and feeling a little awkward. "I really appreciate everything."

"Of course Isabella, anything you need…we know this must be hard on you." I nodded at Carlisle's words, not trusting myself to speak. I really didn't want to talk about that right then, it would cause everything to be just too much, and I refused to let myself cry anymore.

_Crying won't bring them back. _I told myself, trying keep the familiar blur from my eyes.

"Why don't we just talk about that later, Carlisle?" Esme said softly, "Isabella is exhausted."

"Yes of course. I'm sorry Bella I should have" He paused, looking unsure. "…have a good nap." They turned and left then, their steps echoing as they walked down the hall. I walked forward and shut the door, locking it before turning back to the room. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the door for a moment before giving a soft sigh and opening them again. I pushed away from the door and walked across the room to the soft looking bed, gently running my hand over the comforter. It was as smooth and inviting as silk. I took a deep breath before slowly climbing on and laying my head on the plush pillow.

I don't how long I laid there staring at the ceiling, but I must have finally fallen asleep because I suddenly jerked up in the bed sweaty and trembling. My vision was filled with images of my nightmare, and I had to wait a minute before climbing shakily out of the bed. The room was dark now, the trees outside the window casting eerie shadows across the walls, and when I glanced at the alarm clock that was perched on the desk across from me I saw that it was one o'clock in the morning. As I looked slowly around the room I felt suddenly trapped, as if the empty darkness and shadows were closing in on me. My breathing grew labored as I began to whip my head around, searching the blackened corners of the room, my heart pounding as my anxiety became more pronounced.

_I have to get out of here…._

I ran to the door, almost tripping over my forgotten bags, and threw it open wide. The lights in the hall were off, and I stumbled in the dark in search of the staircase. It was there somewhere , and for safe measure I kept my hand on the wall, feeling it as a guide until I suddenly ran into something hard. I let out a small cry and was pinned against the wall so fast my head swam, my heart dropping in terror as I realized a pair of hands were tightly gripping my shoulders. I shut my eyes tight, knowing that James' cohorts had somehow followed me here earlier today. We hadn't been careful enough. I was going to die. They had seen us. I was going to die…I kept my eyes shut.

"What is going on here?" Esme's voice suddenly broke through my hectic mind, and my eyes snapped open. The lights of the hall had been turned on, and I could see a muscular chest clad in a tight black sweater was heaving in front of me. I held my breathe and kept my gaze steady, slowly raising my eyes up to find a livid emerald stare burning into me.

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**Authors Note:** Alright there you go. Sorry it took so long to update, but this chapter was kind of difficult for some reason. Plus it's extra long, so please don't hate me too much. ALSO PLEASE, leave a review and let me know what you think. I haven't really gotten a response for this story or my other, so I'm not sure if people like them or not, and I don't want to waste my time if no one is reading them. I know people favorite and stuff, and though there havent been much of those either, I appreciate it. Thanks sooo much. I HAD ALREADY UPLOADED THIS CHAPTER YESTERDAY, But I made a minor change and instead of just replacing the chapter with the updated version, I just decided to refresh it with a whole new uload.


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